Combination automatic clutch and variable-speed transmission



Feb. 12, 1952 F. F. BRAMAN 2,585,732

COMBINATION AUTOMATIC CLUTCH AND VARIABLE-SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed April 22, 194'? 4 Sheets-Sheet l m! V EN TOR.

' fofiEs T/ TBRAMM ATTORNEY.

Fb. 12, 1952' F. F. Bl R A MAN COMBINATION AUTOMATIC CLUTCH AND VARIABLE-SPEED TRANSMISSION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22 1947 INVENTOR, FoREs TEE/m MA/V A TTORNE Y.

Feb. 12, 1952 F, BRAMAN 2,585,732

COMBINATION AUTOMATIC CLUTCH AND VARIABLE-SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed A ri 22, 194'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 g 62 s 8.] 65 5685 I I9 20 EREST/gE PZZZA/V H5. /0 ATTORNEY.

F. F. BRAMAN Feb. 12, 1952 COMBINATION AUTOMATIC CLUTCH AND VARIABLE-SPEED TRANSMISSION 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 22, 1947 29 INVENTOR,

7 EHEST/FBQAMAA ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 12, 1952 UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE I 2585,7322 ooMBmA'rIoN AUTOMATIC oLir'roH ANi) VARIABLE-SPEED TRANSMISSION remitemma, wichita Kans. Application April .22, 1947, "serial No. '74s,"0s'9 like, although the devicemay be very nicely and efiiciently used for driving other "equipment such as lathes, circle saws, farm machinery and the like.

The object of the inventionis to be able to use a power unitof such size or horse power that will maintain a predetermined speed of the machine after the machine has once been brought up to speed, and in the case of overloads or excessive power requirements in start'ing the dev ice will automatically change the speed ratio between the engine or power unitfwhereb'y the speed of the power unit will be increased to gain power for the starting 'or to take "care of 'the overload. This makes it possible to use power units of a lesser horse power than would "ordinarily be used and still satisfactorily drive the machine. These and other objects will be more fully explained as this description progresses.

Now referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar numerals of reference designate the same parts throughout the several figures of the drawings; Fig. 1 is a detail side view of the automatic clutch and transmission device.

Fig. 2 is a detail 'longitudinalsectional view through the automatic clutch and transmission device. I Iv I V Fig. 3 is a detail end view of the automatic clutch and transmission device, the view being as seen from the line III--III in Fig. '1 and looking in the direction of the arrows. I

Fig. 4 is an end view of the automatic clutch and transmission device, the viewbeing as seen from the line IV-IV in Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows. I I I I Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view I through the clutch and transmission pulley and'illustrating how the variable speeds are achieved. I I I I Fig. 6 is an end view of the devic 'shf o wn in Fig.5, the view being as seen from the ire VI' VI in Fig. 5 and looking in the 'direction 'of the arrows. H

Fig. '7 is a side detail view or the automatic clutch and drive pulley and the driven pulley and the effective diameter adjusting device of the driven pulley. I

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view through the .driven pulley and adjustment therefor, the View being as seen from the line VIII- 'VIII in Fig. '7

and I looking in the direction or the arrows.

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional View throug the to "an improvement in d ven pulley, "the view being as seen irom the line IX--IX in Fig. land looking in the direction or the arrows,

"device *shown in Figures 11 and 12.

In the drawings is shown a scooter S having a platform l5 that is supported bya 'guidable front wheel l6, and a rear wheel I! that is revolvably mounted on an axle element l8 that is carried by axle mount attached to the platform 15.

A housingwall 2| is positioned on and around the irear edge, and across the centralportion of the-platform l5. and supports a seat, not shown, on which the rider of the scooter may sit.

Under the seat and supported on the platform I 5,,is supported a small internal combustion engine 22 that has a crank shaft 23. II

Rig idly mounted on the crankshaft '23 is a larfi aped i i' p1atg2 ar s c ch lining I 25 'onfthe face t r n One ijaii zs of a Ybelt pulle y is revolvably mountedon the crankshaft The fiulley'half Z5 is provided with a long sleevelike hub portioiill that 'isinte'gr'ally formed thereon and carried on rollers 28 that are p'o sitioiiedth ereiri and tear against'the crank shaft 23. slid'abl'e longitudinally on the hub 2 1 is positioned the other half 29 of the V-b elt pulley. The pulley half 29 is provided with a hub portion 30 that is integrally formed on the pulley fhal'f nan-q is slidable longitudinally on the hub 21. In the hub '21 is a slot "31 in which is slidably positioned one end era pin 34 that either pressed or threaded through a hole in the hub-element 31} or the pulley half "29.

V A clutch support element 33 is mounted on the crank shaft 23 and is rigidly held thereon by means of a se't screw 34 that is threaded through 'a hub 'lik'e projection 33a, of the "clutch support element 33 and bears against the crank shaft 23. I

A collar-like element '35 is slidably positioned over the pulley wheel hub element 30 and is provided with rearwardly directed drive pin eleinents 36 thatare .slidablycarried in guide holes 31 in the clutch support e 1ement33. 'Ifhe'clutch collar is. provided with a clutch "rating as ear-like elements 40 and 40a, between which is pivotally mounted one end of a air of fiv elements 4| and Ma, on pivot pins 42 and 42a that pass through the ear-like elements 49 and 46a and the inner edge and corner portions of the fiv elements 4| and Ma. The o-utercorner ortions a of the fly elements Ma and 4| adiacent the pivot p ns 42 and 42a are cut a ay to form shoulders 43 and 4 a that are rockable around the pivot points 42 and 42a and against wh ch the end: B of'theL-sha'oed elements 39 and 39a rest. The fly elements 4| and 4m are L-shaned and the free ends of th flv el ments 4| and Ma rest against th crank shaft 23' and are adapted to swing out wardly therefrom under the influence of centrifugal. force as will later be described. 7

Slidablv mounted on the crank shaft23 is an a"tion bufler elem nt 44 on which is diametrically positioned pairs of ear-like elements 45 and 450,, between wh ch is pi otallv mounted one end of a p r of link elements 46 and 46a on pins 41 and 41a that pass through the ears 45 and 45a and th ends of the links as a d 46a. The other end o the links 46 and 46a are pivotallv connected to the'in'nerend portion of the fly elements 4| and Ma onpivot pins 48 and 4811 that are carried by the fly elements 4| and 4| a.

On the crank shaft 23 is a latch block 49 that .is rigid1v held thereon by means of a set screw 59 that ipassesrtherethrough and bears against the crank Vshaft 23for locking purposes as willbe readily understood. The latch block 49 is provided with outwardly extending V-shaped portions 5| and-5m, that are adapted to be received in V-shaned notches in a pair of fly latch bars .53 and 53a, .one end of which is positioned between ear-like elements 54 and 54a and are pivotally mounted on' pivot pins 55 and 55a that pass through the ears 54 and. 54a and the inner ends of the latch-bars 53 and 53a. The outer end portions of thelatch bars 53 and 53a are provided with aseries of holes 56 and 56a and the ends of a helical spring 51 are hooked in selected holes '56 and 56a in the latch bars 53' and 53a to yieldably pull the outer ends of the latch bars 53 and 53altoward eachiother.

A bar 58is positioned across the outer end of the latch block 49 and is rigidly attached thereto, preferably welded."

The clutch bufier element 44 is provided with a pair of diametrically positioned and outwardly extendingtearlike elements 59, and the ends of a "pair of helical springs 69 and'filla are hooked in the ears 59 and outer ends of the bar 58 to yieldably hold'the clutch buffer element 44 against the latch block- 49..

Associated with the foregoing described device is a driven pulley device comprising a pulley half 6| having a hub portion 6| a, the pulley half 6| vand hub portion 6|a being rigidly mounted on a shaft 62 by means of a key 63 which is seated in the shaft 62 and pulley half 6| and hub 6|a thereof which prevents rotary movement of the pulley half 6| on the shaft 62, and a set screw a @On: the other end of the 64 that is threaded through the hub portion 6|a and bears against the shaft 62 to prevent longitudinal movement of the pulley half 6|-6|a on the shaft 62. A second pulley half 65 is slidably mounted on the shaft 62 and rests against the first pulley half 6|, and pins 66 rigidly mounted on, or integrally formed on the pulley half 6| slidablypass through holes 61in-the pulley half 6|. The pulley half 65 is provided with a hub portion 65a, on which is formed two pairs of outwardly extending ear-like elements 68 and 69 between which is pivotally mounted guide blocks 10 and H. .7

Rigidly'mounted on the shaft 62 is block element, 12 having two pairs of diametrically positioned and outwardly extending ear-like elements 13 and "integrally formed thereon.

Between the pairs of ear-like elements 13 and 14 is positioned one end of guide pins 15 and 16, and pivot pins Hand 18 pass through the ears 13 and 14 andtheir associated guide pins 15 and 16 to form a pivot mountingfor one end'of each guide pin 15 and 16., The other end of the guide pins .15 L and ,16 slidably, pass through holes in the pivotedg'uide blocks 10 and 1|, and helical springs 19 and arepositioned, one around each guide pin 15 and 16 and are under compression between the heads of the pivot pins 15 and 16, and the pivot blocks 10 and 1| andserve toyieldably urge movement of the pulley half 65 toward the pulley half 6|. A V-belt 8| passes around and engages the twopulleys 2629 and 6|-65 as will later be described more in detail.

The shaft 62 is revolvably carried in bearings 82 and 83 that, are rigidly mounted on the platform |5 of the-scooter. i 1

shaft 62 is rigidly mounted a sprocket wheel 84, and another sprocket wheel 85z is rigidly connected with the rear driveil1 ofr'the scooter, and a drive chain-86 passes around and engages the two sprocket wheels" 84*and'85 for driving purposes. The operation of the foregoing described device is as follows.

- The engine 22 may be started and while running at slow idling speed the parts shown in Figures l and 2 will-revolve, but remain in the position shownand the V-belt 8| will rest loosely against the hub portion 21 of the pulley half and will not be driven. Now as the engine 22 is speeded up, the flyelements 4| and Ma, and the latch bars 53 and 53a -will swing outwardly under the influence of centrifugal force and the rocking movement of the inner ends of the fly elements 4| and Ma will cause the shoulders 43 and 43a thereof to press against the ends B of the elements 39 and 39a and move the collar 35 toward the pulley half 29, whereupon the clutch lining 38 will engage the outside face of the pulley half 29 and presslthe pulley half 29 toward the pulley half 26- whereupon the inside face of the pulley half 29 will engagethe adiacentfside of the V-belt 8| against-theinsi'de face of the-.pulleyhalf 26 whereupon the outside face of the pulley half 264will be moved and pressed against the clutch lining 25011 the clutch plate 24, whereupon the V-belt 8| will be gripped between the inner faces of the pulley halves 26 and 29 at a point close to the hub 21 which is in effect a small diameter V-belt pulley driving the belt 8| which in turn drives a large diameter V-belt pulley 6 |-65 which drives the shaft "62andsmall sprocket 84 which drives the; chain 86 that drives the large sprocket and attachfid, traction'wheel H to propel the S scooter. Thls', =in -efl"-ect,=- lsalow-speed gear reductioni Now as the scooter begins to moveand resistance to the .speedof the engine diminiish'es lthesspeed of the engine will therefore increase. and the .flyomembers-4-|,4|a whistlin :outwardlyifurther .and thereby :move the inside faces of the pulleyrhalves 26 and 29rcloser to- .getherand will therefore force the V-beltto 'move toward the outer. edge .of the V- belt pulley 26-49 which in .effect, an increased diameter pulley. Simultaneously with this action, the V-belt 8| will be stretched and will therefore press between and separate the two driven pulley halves 6|--65 against the pressure of the springs 19 and 80. This effects a smaller working diameter of the pulley 6|65 and the gear ratio between the pulleys 2629 and 6|-65 is changed so that a lesser number of revolutions of the pulley 2629 is required to effect one revolution of the pulley To prevent the pulley 26-29 from gripping the belt 8| too quickly as the engine speeds up, the spring 5! will yieldably resist the outwardly swinging movement of the latch bars 53 and 53a, and when the speed has reached a. high enough degree the latch bars 53 and 53a will rock outwardly under the influence of centrifugal force and disengage the V-shaped portions 5| and Ella and the pull of the fly elements 4| and am through the links 46 and 46a on the clutch buffer element 44 will slowly move the clutch buffer element 44 toward the clutch support element 33 in opposition to the pull of the springs El) and 60a which will eliminate the quick grabbing of the belt 8| and also the jerky startin of the scooter.

If desired, a solid one piece V-belt pulley 85a may be substituted for the pulley 6 |-55 and may be rigidly mounted on the shaft 62; If the! solid pulley is used it will be necessary to provide a belt take-up to take up and yield the slack in the belt 8| as the effective diameter of the pulley 2629 varies as above described. What is probably the preferable take-up device is shown in Figures 11, 12 and 13.

In Figures 11, 12 and 13 the take-up device is shown as comprising an idler pulley 81 that rests on the V-belt BI and is revolvably carried on the outer end of one leg b of a T-shaped lever element that is rigidly carried on a shaft 89 that is revolvably carried in bearings, not shown, that may be rigidly mounted on and carried by the scooter platform 5. To the outer end of the le 0 of the lever element 88 is connected one end of a helical spring 98 and the other end of which is hooked around any suitable and rigid part 9| of the machine, the spring 98 being so tensioned as to rock the lever element 88 so that the idler pulley 8! will move toward a line passing through the axes 23 and 62 to take up the slack in the V-belt 8| as shown in Figures 11 and 13.

To the outer end of the bed d of the crank element 88 is connected one end of a piston rod 92, the other end of which is connected to a piston 93 that is slidable back and forth in a cylinder 64. One end of a tube 95 is connected with and opens into the rear portion of the cylinder 94 and the other end of the tube 95 is connected with and opens into the intake manifold 96 of the internal combustion engine 22. The operation of this take-up device is as follows.

As the engine 22 idles and is pulling little or no load, the engine will develop .a vacuum in the intake manifold 96 and tube 95 and also in the cylinder 94, whereupon the piston 93 will be dra'wn rearwardly' intheS cylinder 94'a'nd the piston rod-92 will thereforei pull 'the' 'leg d :of the lever element'88 so "as' to release the pressureof the idler pulley 81*on the 'V belt' 8| *and the pulleys 26-29 and 65a may slip on the 'belt 'a-nd the scooter mayth'en coast at a speed greater or slower than it would if the scooter was being driven by the "engine. 5 "Now, if "the engine be :speeded up the .vacuum developed thereby would be relieved and the springfill would rock the lever 88 to cause the idler pulley 81 to press against and tighten the belt 8| to be driven by the pulley 2629 and drive the pulley 65a to propel the scooter. As the pulley 2629 increases and decreases its effective diameter as above described, the lever 88 will rock by reason of the tension of the spring 9|] to keep the belt 8| tight for driving purposes.

While what is probably the preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it is to be understood that such modifications of the invention may be employed as lie within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit and intention of the invention. Now having fully shown and described my invention, what I claim is:

In a combination clutch and variable speed transmission device of the kind described; a drive shaft, a clutch plate rigidly mounted on said drive shaft, a two piece V-belt drive pulley, one piece of the V-belt pulley having a long hub thereon, said hub being revolvably and longitudinally slidably mounted on the said drive shaft, one side of said one piece of the V-belt pulley having a face engageable with the said clutch plate, the second piece of said V-belt drive pulley having a hub as a part thereof, the hub of the second piece of the drive pulle being non-rotatably, but longitudinally slidably mounted on the hub of the first said drive pulley piece, a clutch ring and a supporting block therefor, said supporting block being rigidly carried on the said drive shaft, said clutch ring being movable to and from engagement with the second said piece of the V-belt drive pulley to move the second said piece of the V-belt drive pulley toward the first said piece of the V-belt drive pulley to change the diametrical point of engagement of a V-belt positioned between the two pulley pieces and in turn bind the composite V-belt pulley between the said clutch plate and clutch ring, and centrifugally operated means for moving said clutch ring in the manner stated, and means for resisting the movement of the centrifugally operated means for moving the said clutch ring, said means for resisting the movement of the centrifugally operated means for moving the said clutch ring comprising an element slidably longitudinally on the said drive shaft, and links pivotally connecting between the said longitudinally slidable element and the said centrifugally operated means, a pair of latch levers, one end of each of said latch levers being pivotally attached to the said longitudinally slidable element, the other ends of the latch levers having a spring connected to and tensioned therebetween, a latch block, said latch block being rigidly carried on one end of the said drive shaft, said latch block having outwardl projecting and diametrically disposed projections thereon, said latch levers having notches therein to receive the said projections, said latch levers being releasable from the said latch block by means of centrifugal force operating against the tension of said spring to release the first said centrifu- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the :file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Date Name Oakes July 17,1934 Kottlowski Aug. 18, 1936 Klein Nov. 12,1940 Burns Oct. 28, 1941 Kohl May 19, 1942 Gruenhagen June 19, 1945 Salsbury May 6, 1947 Sweger June 27, 1950 

